http://www.hbo.com/docs/programs/thegreatestsilence/slideshow.html

Thanks to Louise, she let us know this movie is playing. There are more atrocities in Congo than even Darfur. Please take the time to watch this eye-opening movie.

If sharks become extinct, it will throw off the balance of the ocean which will throw off the earth as we know it. Please read this article to see how we can stop this from happening.

www.livescience.com/environment/080522-oceanic-sharks.html

We want to keep you informed of our efforts to bring security to Darfur. Here are the latest headlines:

Our Call for Partnerships for Darfur

Dream for Darfur called today for the US government to use its role as president of the Security Council next month to hold a Pledging Conference - a meeting to announce the nations supporting African battalions and providing logistical support for the full UN protection operation of 26,000-troops in Darfur, with an immediate deployment schedule.

Read the op-ed by Mia Farrow and Ambassador Nancy Soderberg in the Wall Street Journal.

The Situation on the Ground

There has been an increase in violence in Sudan and the UN/AU troops on the ground are struggling, under-financed and under-equipped. Read today’s AP story: “Top UN official warns of increasing Darfur violence.”

Best,

Jill Savitt
Executive Director, Dream for Darfur

I’m sure by now everyone has heard about this, but just in case you
hadn’t, I thought I’d post this. Sad story.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080513/ap_on_re_as/china_earthquake

Here’s a website with links to different organizations to help Chinese
victims in the earthquake.

www.networkforgood.org/

http://www.mercycorps.org/email/email20080506_nargis.html?source=E176

The reason we are fasting is because it took 100 days to kill 800,000 people in Rwanda. So this website has created a 100 days fasting for Darfur.

We are all going to fast on June 26. So mark your calendar!

And our group WOW will be on their website. We’ll already be famous!
Now we need to decide as a group how much we would like to donate, if
at all. We can either use some of the money we get from the benefit,
or donate our own money. Let’s discuss!

www.stopgenocidenow.org/fast

Child of Darfur

I was born in 1980 in Sudan, in the southern part of Darfur. In 1999 I
went to Khartoum, the capital city of Sudan, as good education was not
available in Nyala. In 2002, I received my college diploma in computer
science. Early in 2002 I heard disturbing reports about things
happening in Darfur. I returned to Darfur and went to work for CARE
International as a translator working in the camps for internal
displaced persons (IDP Camps). While interviewing the people in the
camp, I came to realize exactly what was going on. I talked with some
of the IDPs myself just to learn the truth. I made it my personal
mission to document evidence of what is taking place in Darfur. I did
this secretly, without knowledge of anyone.

A year later I was offered a position as program assistant and
translator for Samaritan’s Purse, the first organization that was
working on the both sides of the lines between the rebels and the
Government of Sudan. We ran food distributions, water sanitation and
education projects. I was responsible for the education project and we
constructed more than 12 schools for children.

In January 2005 African Union Mission announced a vacancy for language
and communication assistant based in Elfasher, the African Union
headquarters, directly investigating the incidents of ethnic cleansing
by the government of Sudan. I worked for two years investigating the
genocide until I was caught by the government and had to flee.

Achievements: I have been involved with the student association of
Sudan to encourage education and the implementation of basic human
rights in some of the more deprived areas of Sudan. I worked to
encourage the IDP’s (internally displaced persons) to get their
freedom and rights and to fight against the marginalization of the
Darfurians and also to raise community aware of sexual exploitation in
the IDP camps. 1999 Sudanese national champion in table tennis.

Here’s the great things we discussed in our first meeting, in case you
missed it. There are so many wonderful things we are going to learn
about. I can’t wait! Thank you to Cynthia Peterson for taking notes!

Please email or post on yahoo groups any other ideas or topics you’d
like to discuss in future meetings.

What we discussed:

Denise:
Darfur-Sudan. Speaker $250 available June 25. We’re hoping to have a
benefit on that night to raise money for Darfur. Muslims against
Christians. Ethnic cleansing.

Keyna - Tribal killings. One tribe versus another. Killing neighbors
with machetes.

There are organizations where you can pay $1 to donate a net to
prevent malaria around the world.

Radon- 2nd leading cause of cancer. $5 for Radon kit. Denise will post
that here so group can order kits.

SharkWater documentary. About sharks becoming extinct. They’re not as
dangerous as the media pretends they are. If sharks become extinct,
our oceans will die, as so will the earth. We need to save them, now!
Greenpeace involved in saving them.

Stepanie:
Burma/Mynamar - under Chinese rule. President of country under house
arrest for 15 years. No one knows this country lives like this. They
want people to find out and help them. Buddhist and peaceful country
with no outside news.

Global warming.

Beth:
Fundraising for speakers. Wants to get her high school students involved.

Eco-Mom alliance. Friend started info on fighting global warming based
in SF.

Makemark.com Site about Africa.

Keeva.org IE. give money to get goat for someone in Africa so can
start a company

Her high school writes letter for St. Judes Hospital

MEND (organization)

Patti:
Operation Christmas child. Gift of shoe boxes of toys and things kids
don’t have overseas. Get children thinking about other things than
presents for themselves.

Mary:
Important to get kids helping on local level. Her daughter’s school
distributes sleeping bags to skid row

Debbie:
Soujourn. Women that were battered that have children and need to get
away.
Debbie will get hotline for other families who might need it.

Debbie’s Aunt - big in African politics. Can come and speak to our group.

Karen:
The Covenant House - Religious group in Hollywood for runaways off the
street.

Children of the Night - same type, not religious

Cynthia: LAUSD budget cuts.

Million Parent March.

Cancer research.

Love Walk. For breast cancer in the Palisades. Coming up this month?

Care for terminally ill people isn’t good. Palliative care is much
better. People need to be aware.

World Vision - topic to talk about next time.

Okay, this is a quick look at what we discussed in the first group.
Next group we will dig deeper in one more of these topics. How do we
want to pick what to discuss next group? Any thoughts?